Monte Suímo is a small hill about 290 meters high in the Carregueira area.
The mining area is known for its four ancient trenches in a basalt vein oriented N-NW S-SW with an estimated length between 700/800 m (the main trenche measures 120 m lenght, 54 m width, 27 m depth/height [Paul Choffat, Academia das Ciências de Lisboa, Actas das Assembleias Gerais, volume IV (1913/1915), Lisboa, Imprensa Nacional, 1918, pag. 152-156].
There are records that gem quality pyropes (semi-precious stones) were explored in this locality since, at least, the Roman times as described by Plinio-o-Velho.
The remains of these mining operations were taken by the vegetation and only in the surrounding paths of Monte Suímo you can find some pyrope small fragments.
The area is now closed to visitors.

Mindat Articles

Alternative Label Names

This is a list of additional names that have been recorded for mineral labels associated with this locality in the minID database. This may include
previous versions of the locality name hierarchy from mindat.org, data entry errors, and it may also include unconfirmed sublocality names or other names that can only be matched to this level.

M. Cachão; P. E. Fonseca; R. Galopim de Carvalho; C. Neto de Carvalho; R. Oliveira; M. M. Fonseca; J. Mata (2010): The Suimo gemstone garnet mine. From Plínio-o-Velho and Pauk Choffat to the present. e-Terra, Geopor, ISSN 1645-0388, Volume 18 – nº 20. [Abstract: We present the ancient Mount Suímo gemstone mine (Belas-Sintra County) as a potential site to be classified as a Geological Heritage site. This old mine of garnets (pyrope) produced semi-precious stones since, at least, Roman times, as described by Plínio-o-Velho. However, very few geological/mineralogical works, with the important exceptions of P. Choffat and T. Palácios, have been produced about it, contrasting to the vast list of historical references.].

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